Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
MACKENZIE
The moment I step inside, the sight before me shatters any high from earning my CPR certification. Nate stands with his gun raised and pointed at Jordan. My stomach drops. A gun? In my house?
“What the hell are you doing?” My voice wavers, sharp and filled with panic. Both men snap their heads toward me, but all I see is red.
“Call the police, Mackenzie. This man is crazy.”
“Shut up, Jordan.” I direct my command at my idiot brother, but my focus is pinpointed at Nate and that goddamn weapon in his hands. Where did it even come from? He sure as hell didn’t find it lying around here. He brought it. Into my home. With my kids. My jaw clenches as heat rises beneath my skin. “Put the gun away. Now. That’s my brother.”
Nate’s eyes narrow in disbelief. “Your brother?”
“Yes. My brother. Lower the weapon. Now.” My tone is venomous as I try to contain the anger bubbling inside me. Nate hesitates, then clicks the safety and tucks the gun behind him. Unbelievable.
Jordan rises to his feet, brushing dust off his jeans with a smirk. “Real nice welcome, sis.”
I don’t question why Jordan was on the floor or why he’s even here. The red haze is still strong. How dare Nate assume I’d be okay with him packing? My stomach lurches. I left this man with my children.
“You have no right bringing a concealed weapon into my house.”
A crease forms between Nate’s brows. “I’m sorry, Mackenzie. I usually carry?—”
“In my house? With my kids? No, Nate. That’s not okay.” My voice shakes, fury mixing with something dangerously close to fear.
The crease between his brows deepens like he can’t comprehend why I’d be upset. It’s as if he’s genuinely confused. “Sorry, I didn’t think?—”
“No, you didn’t think. Newsflash, not everyone is okay with guns.”
“Especially when they’re aimed at one’s brother,” Jordan says, moving closer to me.
Nate’s jaw tightens. “He broke in. Through the damn window. What was I supposed to think?”
My eyes snap to Jordan. “You did what? Are you serious?”
He shrugs, that same infuriating half-shrug he’s been perfecting since childhood. “I thought it’d be funny to scare you.”
“You think scaring a single woman with two kids is funny?” Nate interjects, his voice low and incredulous.
And just like that, I’m furious with both of them. I point my finger at Nate. “You need to leave.”
“Mackenzie, I’m sorry?—”
“Mommy?”
My breath catches. Liam stands in the hallway, Nick just behind him, his small hands clutching Liam’s shirt. Pain grips my heart from the familiarity. Liam’s stance is protective, shielding his little brother. Too much like Ethan. Too much like before when Ethan and I fought. The room feels smaller all of a sudden. I don’t want to rehash those memories, and the kids don’t need a reminder. We’re moving forward. Everything I do, everything I’m working toward, is for them. I’ll be damned if I backpedal.
I force a smile. “Everything’s okay, sweetheart. Go back to your room, and I’ll be there shortly.”
Liam’s eyes flick to Nate and then back to me. He nods. “Yes, ma’am.”
Liam murmurs something to Nick before they scurry down the hallway. I summon every strength to not cry. My emotions are spinning; I’m so mad.
Mad at Nate for bringing a weapon into my home.
Mad at my brother for giving Nate an excuse to draw it in the first place.
Mad at Ethan for spending the small amount of time we had arguing with me.
Do my kids even know how functional families live? Or do functional families even exist?
Nate breaks the silence once they’ve disappeared into their room. “Look, I’m really?—”
“Leave! I can’t deal with you right now.” I’m being a bitch, but I can’t handle any more arguing. Never mind that I’m not in the wrong. There’s no excuse for bringing a weapon into my home. I will not tolerate it. I won’t.
Nate studies me for a long beat before lifting his chin in silent understanding and walking out. The door clicks shut, and the loss I feel as he leaves only stokes the fire burning inside me. Damn it.
I round on Jordan. “Why are you even here?”
He watches the door with distaste. “I don’t like that guy. Why was he here watching my nephews?”
“Your nephews you’ve barely seen in five years?” I scoff, crossing my arms. At age ten, my son possessed more chivalry than my big brother could ever dream. Jordan has never been there for me. He didn’t even show up for Ethan’s burial.
“That’s not fair. You know I’ve been busy.”
Sure, busy doing Lord knows what. “Answer my question. Why are you here? ”
“Mom called. Told me you moved back. Thought I’d check on you.”
My expression softens despite myself. Perhaps I’m too harsh. “I’m fine for the most part.”
“Are you going to be okay financially?”
The last thing I want to do is discuss my finances with Jordan. “We’ll be okay.”
Jordan’s gaze drifts toward the front door. “That guy?—”
“Nate. His name is Nate.”
“Nate”—his nose scrunches as if the name conjures the smell of rotten eggs—“What’s his deal? He sniffing around for money?”
“He doesn’t know about our situation.”
“You let a stranger watch my nephews?”
“He’s not a stranger. My sitter bailed on me. I didn’t have much choice.”
Jordan frowns. “What’s his full name?”
“Nathaniel Dixon. He goes by Nate.”
“I’ll check him out.”
I roll my eyes. Typical Jordan. Riding into town on his white horse, only to realize he’s saddled on top of a donkey. The ass. He’ll be gone at the first sign of responsibility. “He’s harmless.”
Jordan shoots me a look that says I’m na?ve. “I know Mom’s away, but I’m here now.”
Sure, like I’d trust him with my kids. I don’t argue. That battle can be fought later. “I’m surprised you didn’t break into Mom’s home and stay there.”
“Funny.”
I lift a shoulder, mimicking his signature move. “Just saying.”
“Don’t be a brat.” Jordan closes the distance between us and pulls me into a hug. “I’ve missed you, sis.”
I wrap my arms around his waist. He may have caused havoc when we lived in San Francisco, but he is my brother, and I miss him.
“I’m tired. I’m going to check on the boys and take a shower. You can sleep on the couch if you want. I’ll drop you off at Mom’s house tomorrow.” I’ll message Mom in the morning to check and see if she’s cool with him staying. But I know she won’t care. She never does when it comes to Jordan. The guy can do no wrong in her eyes, although he has done plenty.
“That’s chill.” He ambles over to the couch. “Hey, do you have a computer I can borrow? I need to check out a few things.”
“Yeah, my laptop is on the desk.”
“Password?”
“Kitten2Purrfect.”
“Really, sis? That’s been your passcode for everything since we were kids.”
“What? I still miss Peaches. Besides, it’s easy to remember.”
“You need to protect yourself better.”
“Stop with the accusations. Nate’s a good guy. You would’ve seen his good side if you weren’t scaling through my window.”
“Yeah.” He angles toward my computer. “I’m still gonna do my homework on him.”
“Fine. Whatever. It’s not like it matters. I’m sure my crazed bitch side scared him away for good.”
“I never liked it when Ethan called you that.”
“It doesn’t matter now, does it?”
The awkwardness comes roaring back. Jordan sighs. “I love you, sis.”
“For what it’s worth, I’ve missed you.”
That earns me a genuine smile. “I’ve missed your face.”
Once I’m finally alone, I crawl into bed, thoughts of Ethan rushing in. The fights over guns. Selling them all after he was gone. A gun is what took my husband from me. I won’t tolerate them now, not around my kids. But Nate didn’t know that.
Tears prick my eyes as I curl into a ball on my side. The guy helped me in a tight spot, and I went ballistic on him. Maybe I am the ‘crazed bitch’ Ethan coined me as when I demanded the guns be placed out of reach. But I have to protect my boys. I won’t yield .
It’s just knowing all that doesn’t change how badly I feel for yelling at Nate. Tomorrow, I’ll apologize. But deep down, I know some things can’t be undone, like the way Nate looked at me before he left.